24. Cat

24

CAT

I took Cleo to my favorite pizza place, standing outside while we ate and talked about the reading.

And now as we pulled off the highway and drove through New Winford, we were still discussing.

"I just think it's amazing how she can make something so gruesome seem so beautiful." Cleo stared out the window as they waxed poetic about the reading. It brought a smile to my face, to hear how much they enjoyed it.

As we pulled onto Main Street, Cleo groaned. "Oh, park in the back. The cops are dicks about parking violations."

Nodding, I turned into the tiny lot and parked next to their Corolla. I put the car in park and turned off the engine. "Let me walk you in."

This time, Cleo beat me to opening their door and stepped out of the car. They jostled the sun dress in the chilly wind, a light shiver running over them.

As we walked around to the front of the building, I sighed. "I just like listening to people read. I feel like I could just sit there and listen all night, ya know?"

With each step, our bodies swayed closer together. Maybe it was just exhaustion, or maybe it was the magnetic pull I felt to them, but I couldn't seem to walk straight. And from the looks of it, neither could they.

"I do." Cleo bit their lip as we rounded the corner to the front of their building.

The bookstore's lights were out, but upstairs a single lamp lit up the windows.

Pointing upstairs, Cleo giggled. "This is me."

"Very funny." I nudged their arm.

A silence passed over us as we looked into each other's eyes. My mind flashed back to the kiss in my car, the way their lips felt so warm and familiar. I could've stayed in that moment for the rest of my life.

Cleo sighed. "Thank you. Really. I don't think I've ever been on a date like that."

"A date?" I tried –unsuccessfully – to stop the blush from rising to my cheeks.

Taking in some of the October air, Cleo shrugged. "I don't know what else you'd call it."

It was still odd, to realize Cleo had been on other dates. In the last five years, they'd been with other people, saw what else was out there, and still hadn't found what they were looking for. Maybe it was fucked-up, but I was so thrilled they hadn't.

I buried my hands in my pockets, not trusting them to be loose. "You're welcome, thanks for trusting me." Looking up at the apartment, I clicked my tongue. "Well, I guess this is goodnight."

As I turned to leave, Cleo grabbed my wrist and turned me to face them. "I actually have a book upstairs that I want to show you."

My cheeks lifted with a goofy smile, I knew it wasn't my sexiest smile but I doubted Cleo minded. "I'd love to see it."

Pulling my hand out of my pocket, Cleo laced their fingers in mine and led me to the metal door which they unlocked and pushed open. Inside, was a small, tiled vestibule that led to a steep staircase.

Despite Cleo's being the only unit in the building, they still left their upstairs door closed. And when they led me up the steps to the landing outside of their door, I realized they also kept it locked.

Laughing, I watched them move. "You know this is one of the safest towns in the country, right?"

"Maybe it's so safe because we all lock our doors." Cleo quipped as the latch on the door flipped.

As they pressed it open, I leaned over their shoulder and whispered. "You know just as well as I do that no one around here locks shit." It was a running joke between us as teens, to see how many houses we could get into just by turning the knob. It was always followed by profuse apologies and claims that we thought this was one of our friends's houses.

But now, as Cleo pushed open the door, I wished I could just walk in. The warmth of their decor was unavoidable. Warm tones filled the space, along with dozens of house plants and shelf after shelf of packed bookcases.

"Wow." I looked around the whole place as I stepped inside.

Closing the door behind me, Cleo shrugged. "You like it?"

All I could do was nod. "It's great. It's very Cleo." I smiled as I looked at the prints, a combination of sketched nudes and illustrated cats.

From the corner of the room, a tabby cat meowed from the top perch of his cat tree.

"Oh, that's Finn. He's my bestie." Cleo winked as they summoned Finn with some tongue-clicking.

I chuckled. "He looks like a good best friend." Allowing me to give him some pets, Finn rubbed against me after greeting his owner.

Eventually, he got bored of us and headed back to his bed. Cleo turned to me, "Do you need a coffee or anything?"

"No, but I do want to see that book." I grinned at them. We both knew it was a ploy but I knew it was too hard for either of us to admit that we wanted to be in the same bed again. Our breakup hadn't been pleasant.

So instead, Cleo came up with an intricate lie to get me up to their apartment.

"Right, it's this way." Cleo nodded as they led me down a short hallway toward their bedroom. The room opened up to tall ceilings and what I could only assume were bright, large windows in the daytime.

Looking around the room, I didn't see any bookshelves. "Did you invent invisible shelves in the last five years?" I teased them as they bit their lip.

"Maybe." They stepped closer to me, closing the distance between us. Even though we'd kissed twice in one week, I still felt like touching them was risky. I knew a rejection could be right around the corner.

Maybe this was all an elaborate ruse to embarrass an ex.

But looking into their blue eyes, I knew it wasn't. Cleo wouldn't have risked their own heart for me, for this, if they didn't think there was a chance it could actually work. We were both too fragile for those kinds of games.

Cleo put a hand on my hip. "Is that okay?" When I nodded, they wrapped their arms around me and pulled me into a tight hug.

Sighing, I let my arms drape over their shoulders as I squeezed them closer. I felt my skin warming the cold spots on their arms, where the cold air had chilled.

As I held them, I breathed in their scent. It was something like dried flowers and old books. I wasn't sure I'd ever felt anything more comforting than that. We stood pressed together like that for a long minute before Cleo eventually lifted their head from my chest and looked up at me.

Still keeping them close, I dipped my head lower to kiss them. But it turned from a gentle test to a passionate kiss in a matter of seconds. In the privacy of Cleo's bedroom, we finally found the familiarity that had been there. Our lips and tongues were quick to find a new rhythm.

I bent my knees, placing my hands on the back of their thighs. Getting the signal, Cleo jumped into my arms, wrapping their strong legs around my waist.

"Fuck." Cleo moaned as their center settled near mine before pressing their soft lips against mine again. This time, our tongues grew more reckless – desperate to get closer.

Holding their back, I brought them to the edge of the bed where I gently set them on the mattress. There, Cleo looked up at me with disbelief. "Are we really doing this?"

Lowering my face to theirs, I let my hands rest against the bed. "I think so."

"Me too." Cleo smiled as they wrapped their hands around the nape of my neck and pulled me into the bed. Their dress was already riding up their legs, exposing the supple skin of their inner thighs.

My eyes weren't sure where to land, all of them too enticing to look away.

But as we kissed, I let my hands explore for me. Under their clothes, I felt the soft curves I'd known for a decade. A moan escaped their lips as they felt my fingers.

Opening their eyes, they met my gaze as their hands reached to my chest where they slowly unbuttoned the topmost clasps of my dress shirt. I watched their face as they saw my body, my hair draping down and framing our faces as I hovered over them.

"God, look at you." Cleo gasped as they brushed the shirt off my shoulder and off my arms.

Sitting upright, I let them watch on as I straddled their lap. Goosebumps rose from my skin under their gaze, familiar and thrilling all at once. I reached around my back and unclasped the lace black bra. As it fell off my body, Cleo's chest stuttered.

"Is it what you expected?" I swallowed, nervous that they'd be disappointed.

Instead, Cleo sat up and kissed up my chest toward my neck. "I thought I knew you then. But this, this is the Cat I dreamed about every night for the last five years."

My heart stopped for a moment as all the excitement rushed between my legs. I wasn't sure how Cleo could be so stunning. While they kissed along my body, their hands cupped my back and held me close.

Rolling my head back, I moaned up to the ceiling. "You feel so good."

Cleo smiled up at me before lying back, shifting their weight, and pulling the skirt of their dress out from under their ass. "Help me get this off."

With a nod, I reached my hands down to the fabric and gently pulled it over their head. I was careful to hold the collar away from their face, not wanting them to get caught. Once it was off, I tossed it to the floor and looked down at them.

"Wow." My eyes widened as I looked at the matching, floral bra and panty. The bra lifted Cleo's breasts, making them impossible to miss while the panties came up high above their hips. I wasn't even sure where to look as my center pulsed with anticipation.

Cleo bit their lip as I looked at them, nerves taking over. "What do you think?"

"You're more stunning than I remember." I managed before sinking my lips into their neck. When they moaned their approval, I allowed my teeth to slip into the skin.

"Fuck." Cleo grunted at the feeling of my bite. "Touch me, please."

Nodding, I brought my hand down their chest toward their stomach where I lightly traced the outline of their stomach. My fingers found the edge of the floral fabric and traveled over their mound toward the slit between their legs. Over the panties, I made wide circles with the tips of my fingers as I felt for their hardened clit.

A pleased groan escaped their throat when I found the pebble. I smiled up at them as I applied targeted pressure, my own clit beginning to throb.

Their body started to rock against my hand, helping me massage the perfect spot. But after a moment, Cleo grew frustrated by the fabric between our bodies. "I want this shit off."

"Done." I laughed as I hopped off of their lap and gripped the fabric with my fingers. Lifting their hips, Cleo used their hand to push the panties over their plump ass. As I pulled, the cotton stuck to their wet slit. "You're excited already."

With a nod, Cleo shrugged. "I've thought about this."

I giggled as I pulled the panties down their legs. "Since I got back?"

Sitting up, Cleo's hand moved to the black belt on my trousers. "No."

My forehead wrinkled as I watched them release the metal prong holding the belt and my trousers in place. Smiling, Cleo licked their lips. "For the last five years."

Just knowing they had wanted me all of those years was enough to send a jolt of electricity to my already pulsing center. I felt the pleasure soaking my panties as I shifted my weight.

Cleo wrapped their arms around my waist and pulled my exposed stomach closer. Kissing it, they used their long fingers to unclasp my pants and unzip them. The belt clattered with each movement. Looking down at the line of my black panties, Cleo licked their lips. "Can I take these off?"

Nervous, I looked at their gentle face and nodded. "Please."

Cleo swallowed the lump in their throat before sliding the trousers and my black bikini-cut underwear down my legs. The fabric and the heavy bet smacked against the floor, but Cleo was undeterred. Instead, their hands moved down to cup my bare ass. Their grip was gentle but familiar, a warm spot forming on my body from their touch.

"Cleo…" I moaned as my head rolled back.

"Yes, Catherine?" They looked up at me, their mouth lingering around the trimmed hair near my slit.

My eyes closed as I felt their warm breath linger near my clit. Like a gentle lullaby, Cleo whispered, "I really missed you."

I felt like someone was sitting on my chest as the words left their lips. Sinking my fingers into their blonde, wavy bob, I smiled. "I missed you too."

Cleo licked their lips as they brought their face closer to my pulsing clit. Their hands kept gripping my ass, pulling me closer. They took one more look up at my face before burying their face between my legs. Starting with gentle kisses, Cleo slowly let their tongue peek out from between their lips.

With each flick, their tongue pushed back my hood and grazed my sensitive bead.

Swallowing hard, my legs began to tremble. I felt myself grow more and more slick with each passing second, afraid the pleasure was going to start dripping down my leg.

When Cleo sunk their tongue fully into my folds, cleaning up my excitement like they could read my mind, a primal grunt rumbled from their mouth into my folds.

They let their mouth explore me, reminding themselves of how I felt and tasted. Looking down at their face, I watched as they took me in. My grip on their hair grew tighter as they increased the pressure on my clit.

It wasn't long before I wanted more of them. Using the fistful of hair, I gently pulled their head away from my slit. "Cle, lie back."

Nodding, Cleo licked my pleasure off of their lips as they rested their back against the plush mattress. Once they were comfortable, I pulled their floral panties out from under their ass and peeled them off of their legs. As soon as the fabric moved, a waft of sweet pleasure hit my nose.

My pulsing clit ached to touch them. Dropping the underwear to the floor, I lowered myself on top of Cleo. I looked into their blue eyes as I brought my thigh between their legs, feeling the slick excitement against my bare skin.

I couldn't bring myself to look away from them, instead, I kept my eyes open and watched as I thrust my thigh into them.

Staring back into mine, Cleo whimpered. "Cat, please."

"Please what?" I lowered my head to Cleo's ear.

Their breathing grew ragged as excitement took over their body. "Touch me like we never stopped."

Lifting my face to theirs, I nodded. "Okay, baby." It was exactly what I wanted too, to be close to them the way we had been all those years ago; like no time had passed between us at all.

Not needing more instructions, I leaned onto my elbow and brought my hand down to their slick center. Quickly, I found their clit and massaged between their folds. Using my thigh, I pressed my hand into their hard bead.

"Yes," Cleo whispered as their head pressed into the mattress.

Not wanting to deny them what they'd asked for, I let my fingers explore down the slick folds. I groaned as my fingers slid along their center, letting my head fall to their shoulders. They brought a hand up to my scalp and brushed the long brown hair from my face, burying their hand in my scalp.

Finding their entrance, I let my finger tease it. I opened my eyes to peek into theirs as they gasped for air. With a grin, I let a finger sink into their center. A moan left my lips as I felt how slick they were for me.

"Oh, Cleo." My face scrunched up as I sunk my finger another knuckle deep.

Rocking along my hand, Cleo held me close. "That's not how you used to."

With a cheeky grin, I let out a deep rumble of a chuckle. "Is that right?"

When they nodded back to me, I pulled my finger out a little and added another finger. I hadn't expected them to be so eager to receive me. But as I slid back inside their soaked entrance, Cleo grunted. "That's better."

Finding our rhythm, I gently massaged their G-spot. With each caress of my fingers, Cleo's body rocked against mine harder. They held my head close to their chest as I fucked them. After a minute, Cleo brought their other hand to my center.

"Fuck." I grunted as I felt their hand sink between my folds to massage my pulsing clit. The shudder their touch sent through my body was enough to press my fingers even deeper inside Cleo.

Looking into each other's eyes, we started to breathe in sync. Our bodies intertwined, unsure where Cleo started and I ended. But I felt every single caress of their fingers on my excited clit.

Our bodies grew warm as they pressed together, a light sweat dampening our skin as we thrust into each other.

"Cat, make me come." Cleo whimpered as their hips started to rock harder against my hand. The folded knuckles of my other fingers pressed into their clit as they trembled against me.

Nodding, I smiled. "Only if you make me."

Cleo rolled their eyes but nodded, knowing I was kidding. But nonetheless, they applied targeted pressure to my sensitive, throbbing clit. As they did, I felt my body start to quake. Between the slick excitement between their legs and their fingers on my own slit, my body was ready to be sent over the edge.

I felt Cleo's hot breath against my shoulder as they grew closer to their peak. Our moans grew louder, unconcerned with neighbors or roommates for the first time we'd ever been together.

"God, I missed you," I confessed as my body took over, my movements beginning to stutter as Cleo's pressure grew.

Under my hand, I felt Cleo shudder against me. Their neck strained as their moans grew to screams of pleasure. "Don't leave me again, Cat."

Following orders, I pressed deeper inside them as I felt the muscles inside them tighten around my fingers. "I'm not going anywhere." The sensation made my jaw drop as my body lost control. I screamed into their chest as the waves of pleasure vibrated my body.

Tightening their grip, Cleo followed close behind me. But they pulled my face toward theirs, our eyes meeting as we both reached our peaks.

"Shit." I managed as my body tensed and froze. After a few seconds, my muscles released and collapsed onto Cleo's body.

Catching our breath, both of us removed our hands.

Unable to hold myself up any longer, I rolled onto my back.

Laying next to Cleo, I looked over at them as my chest heaved. "Are you okay?"

With a nod, Cleo moved onto their side to look at me. "More than. Are you?" They were barely able to keep their eyes open as they asked.

"More than." I smiled back at them. "Can I hold you?"

Cleo smirked back at me and rolled to their other side. "You just want to touch my ass."

Shrugging, I slipped my arm under their neck and wrapped the other around their stomach. "Would that be so bad?"

"Nope." Playing into it, they rubbed their ass against my core.

I tried to calm the pulse of pleasure that wanted more of them. Instead, I tightened my grip on their body and pulled them closer. I took in every breath of them that my lungs could hold. A part of me was nervous they'd say now, that this magic would pass and they would remember why we never worked. But until that happened, I wanted to be as close to Cleo Fontaine as they'd allow me to be.